Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Investigate the Clinical Applicability of the Medial Femoral Trochlea Osteochondral Flap Within the Wrist

Background: The medial femoral trochlea (MFT) osteochondral flap is employed for reconstruction of unsalvageable scaphoid proximal pole nonunions. The convex surface of the cartilage-bearing proximal trochlea is used to replace the similarly contoured proximal scaphoid and articulate with the concave scaphoid fossa of the radius. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comparison of the shape of the MFT as it relates to the native proximal scaphoid has not been previously performed. Our study aimed to quantifiably compare the shape of the MFT, proximal scaphoid, and scaphoid fossa. Methods: Using imaging processing software, we measured radius of curvature of the articular segments in MRI scans of 10 healthy subjects’ wrists and knees. Results: Compared with the scaphoid fossa, average ratio of the radius of circumference of the proximal scaphoid was 0.79 and 0.78 in the coronal and sagittal planes, respectively. Compared with the scaphoid fossa, average ratio of the radius of circumference of the MFT was 0.98 and 1.31 in the coronal and sagittal planes, respectively. The radius of curvature of the MFT was larger than the proximal scaphoid, in the coronal and sagittal planes. In the coronal plane, the MFT radius of curvature is nearly identical to the scaphoid fossa, a closer match than the scaphoid itself. In the sagittal plane, the radius of curvature of the MFT was larger than the radius of curvature of the scaphoid fossa. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the radius of curvature, in the sagittal and coronal planes, of the MFT and proximal scaphoid is disparate.

Applicability of the 500°C isotherm method in determining the strength of reinforced concrete beams after fire

A procedure to estimate the residual bending moment and the shear load capacity after fire in reinforced concrete beams was evaluated. The calculation method is based on the 500ºC Isotherm Method, adopting the reduction coefficients proposed by Van Coile et al. (2014) for the steel yield strength. The proposed method validation was done from experimental results of 62 reinforced concrete beams available in the literature. It was possible to observe a good approximation of the analytical method with the experimental data. For the bending moment an average ratio M r ana / M r exp of 1.04 and standard deviation of 0.15 was found. For the shear force an average ratio V r ana / V r exp of 0.85 and standard deviation of 0.23 was found.

The obstacles facing Riyada- financed projects – A field study from the perspective of an entrepreneur in Asir region –: المعوقات التي تواجه المشاريع الممولة من ريادة – دراسة ميدانية من منظور ريادةً بمنطقة عسير –

The present research aimed to identify constraints facing projects funded by Riyadah: a field study from Riyadah's perspective in Assir region. And to study the hypotheses of the study represented in the presence of a statistically significant impact of the financing obstacles facing Riyada- financed projects in Aseer region The research was based on the descriptive and analytical approach, and the research population included all owners of the projects funded by Reyadah in Asir region, and a simple random sample consisted of (150) respondents was selected. The study concluded that the funding constraints facing projects funded by Riyadah in Assir region were of a average ratio, that the marketing constraints facing projects funded by Riyadah in Assir region were of high ratio, and that the administrative and organizational constraints facing projects funded by Riyadah in Assir region were of high ratio. Also, it was concluded that there is a statistically significant impact on each of (funding constraints, marketing constraints, and administrative & organizational constraints) facing projects funded by Riyadah in Assir region. The research recommended the necessity for Riyadah Institution to give the owners of the funded projects specialized courses in management and organization that help them in carrying out the tasks assigned to them, and the necessity to follow up the funded projects periodically so that the performance is evaluated on an ongoing basis and the mistakes are corrected. As well, Riyadah Institution has to provide help and assistance for various categories in order to create different job opportunities for many people.

High NH3 deposition in the environs of a commercial fattening pig farm in central south China

Abstract Intensive livestock production has been increasing, and has resulted in the emission of more than seven teragram per year of ammonia (NH3) in China in recent years. However, little is known about the fate of the emitted NH3, especially the dry deposition of NH3 in the environs of intensive animal farms. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations of NH3 deposition in the environs of an intensive fattening pig farm were investigated in the central south of China. NH3 concentrations were measured at sites situated 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 m in the downwind direction from the farm each month from July 2018 to June 2019. The NH3 deposition was calculated based on a bidirectional NH3 exchange model. The monthly NH3 emissions from the pig farm were estimated based on the breeding stock. The annual average NH3 concentrations ranged from 1,200 to 14 μg m-3 at the downwind sites within 500 m of the pig farm, exhibiting exponential decay as distance increased. Strong seasonality in NH3 deposition was observed, with the highest season being in the summer and lowest in the winter, and air temperature was found to be an important factor affecting this seasonal variation. The estimated monthly total dry deposition within 500 m of the pig farm ranged from 92 to 1,400 kg NH3-N mo-1, which accounted for 4.1 to 14% of the total monthly NH3 emissions from the pig farm. The estimated total NH3 emissions and NH3 deposition from the pig farm were 63,000 kg NH3-N yr-1 and 5,400 kg NH3-N yr-1, respectively, with the annual average ratio of NH3 deposition to NH3 emission being 8.6%. This study found NH3 deposition around intensive pig farms to be high, and determined it as a significant fate of the NH3 emitted from pig farms.

Efficient Energy Optimization Day-Ahead Energy Forecasting in Smart Grid Considering Demand Response and Microgrids

In smart grid, energy management is an indispensable for reducing energy cost of consumers while maximizing user comfort and alleviating the peak to average ratio and carbon emission under real time pricing approach. In contrast, the emergence of bidirectional communication and power transfer technology enables electric vehicles (EVs) charging/discharging scheduling, load shifting/scheduling, and optimal energy sharing, making the power grid smart. With this motivation, efficient energy management model for a microgrid with ant colony optimization algorithm to systematically schedule load and EVs charging/discharging of is introduced. The smart microgrid is equipped with controllable appliances, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, electrolyzer, hydrogen tank, and energy storage system. Peak load, peak to average ratio, cost, energy cost, and carbon emission operation of appliances are reduced by the charging/discharging of electric vehicles, and energy storage systems are scheduled using real time pricing tariffs. This work also predicts wind speed and solar irradiation to ensure efficient energy optimization. Simulations are carried out to validate our developed ant colony optimization algorithm-based energy management scheme. The obtained results demonstrate that the developed efficient energy management model can reduce energy cost, alleviate peak to average ratio, and carbon emission.

A Robust Approach to CCRM Interval Regression considering Interval Coincidence Degree

Traditional CCRMs (Constrained Center-and-Range Methods) in solving the problem of interval regression could hardly make tradeoffs between the overall fitting accuracy and the coincidence degree between the observed and predicted intervals and could also hardly reduce the number of disjoint elements between the observed and predicted intervals, as well as raise the average ratio of all predicted intervals contained within their observed intervals. This paper constructed a nonlinear regression model based on center-and-range method, in which the maximization of coincidence degree for the sample with the worst coincidence degree between the observed and predicted interval was incorporated into the traditional CCRM model’s objective. This novel nonlinear programming model was proven to be a convex one that satisfied K-T condition. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the model is degenerated to the compared CCRM+ model as the objective only contains the minimization of the overall fitting accuracy for both center and range sample series. In this situation, it could obtain a better solution than the use of the compared CCRM model. In addition, when the proposed model only takes into account the maximization of coincidence degree for the sample with the worst coincidence degree between the observed and predicted interval, the model shows a better performance than the CCRM+ model in terms of the average ratio of all predicted intervals contained within their observed intervals, as well as the average number of forecasts with 0% accuracy.

Evaluating the Bioenergetics Health Index Ratio in Leigh Syndrome Fibroblasts to Understand Disease Severity

Several pediatric mitochondrial disorders, including Leigh syndrome (LS), impact mitochondrial (mt) genetics, development, and metabolism, leading to complex pathologies and energy failure. The extent to which pathogenic mtDNA variants regulate disease severity in LS is currently not well understood. To better understand this relationship, we computed a glycolytic bioenergetics health index (BHI) for measuring mitochondrial dysfunction in LS patient fibroblast cells harboring varying percentages of pathogenic mutant mtDNA (T8993G, T9185C) exhibiting deficiency in complex V or complex I (T10158C, T12706C). A high percentage (>90%) of pathogenic mtDNA in cells affecting complex V and a low percentage (<39%) of pathogenic mtDNA in cells affecting complex I was quantified. Levels of defective enzyme activities of the electron transport chain correlated with the percentage of pathogenic mtDNA. Subsequent bioenergetics assays showed cell lines relied on both OXPHOS and glycolysis for meeting energy requirements. Results suggest that whereas the precise mechanism of LS has not been elucidated, a multi-pronged approach taking into consideration the specific pathogenic mtDNA variant, glycolytic BHI, and the composite BHI (average ratio of oxphos to glycolysis) can aid in better understanding the factors influencing disease severity in LS.

ANALISIS RISIKO LIKUIDITAS PADA PT. BANK NEGARA INDONESIA (PERSERO) TBK

The purpose this research is to discuss about liquidity risk analysis at “Bank Negara Indonesia” (Persero) Tbk. The writer uses quantitative method. The type of data used is secondary data, which is obtained from published reports of “Bank Negara Indonesia” (Persero) Tbk the period 2016 to 2020. The result of this study indicate that the Cash Ratio can be said to be healthy because it is in accordance with Bank Indonesia regulations with an average ratio of 4,05%. The Quick Ratio is in the healthy criteria because the average value is greater than 100%. Loan to Deposit Ratio is in good condition because its value is below 75%. This means that the bank is able to fulfill its obligations immediately with its liquid assets and is able to provide depositors requests when withdrawing funds so that the bank’s liquidity risk is in a healty condition and well maintained.

Investigation of the influence of distribution of defections along the axial direction on eternal ultimate strength of titanium alloy pressure hulls of long barrel shape

During the fabrication of pressure hulls, plastic processing is indispensable, which is an environmental, highly effective, and economical processing method. However dimensional error is also induced during plastic processing. This kind of error is one type of defection, which makes the hulls in danger, especially when the hulls suffer eternal pressure. Von Mises theory is an effective approach to study failure of pressure hulls. In this paper, numerical simulations are performed to investigate influence of distribution of defections along the axial direction on the ultimate strengths of titanium alloy pressure hulls of long barrel shape with two vessel heads using ABAQUS. The results of numerical simulations show that the ultimate strengths of pressure hulls with defections are relative to the location and distribution of defections, and they are decreasing with reduction of the average ratio and standard deviation when the hull suffers eternal pressure. The method of evaluating degradation of ultimate strength based on simulations can be employed to check the safety of pressure hulls.

Estimation of Mercury Losses and Gold Production by Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM)

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) utilizes mercury (Hg) for the extraction of gold (Au) and is responsible for the largest anthropogenic source of emissions and releases of Hg to the environment. Previous estimates of Hg use in ASGM have varied widely. In this effort, Hg losses in ASGM were derived from the difference between estimates of total Au production and the production reported by conventional gold mining. On the basis of this result, the average ratio of Hg lost to Au produced in ASGM was estimated to be 1.96 in Africa, 4.63 in Latin America, and 1.23 in Asia. The difference among regions can be attributed to the amalgamation procedure used by the miners, in which whole-ore amalgamation is predominant in Latin America and Asia. The obtained estimated ratio of Hglost:Auproduced suggested the possibility to detect either Au or Hg smuggling from one country to another. On the other hand, the importance of considering cyanidation in ASGM was also suggested. Graphical Abstract